The New York Mets’ offseason has been surprising so far, as they have already let Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso walk, and have not added superstars to really replace them.
The Mets have made moves so far, but losing Alonso and Díaz is a huge blow. The Mets signed Devin Williams, and have reportedly agreed to sign Jorge Polanco. The team also traded away fan-favorite Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien. Nimmo may not be the only longtime Met to end up with a new team this winter, either.
According to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, the Mets are trying to trade Jeff McNeil. McNeil reportedly has an “uneasy” relationship with Francisco Lindor, dating back to 2021, when Lindor physically confronted McNeil over a defensive issue, per Sherman. Lindor reportedly “verbally attacked” McNeil this year after a defensive lapse.
“Multiple non-Mets team officials said the Mets are trying to trade McNeil, who is owed $17.75 million between his 2026 salary and 2027 buyout (there also is a $500,000 trade kicker),” wrote Sherman. “But McNeil had what was described as a minor procedure for thoracic outlet syndrome after the season, as The Post first reported. That plus his clubhouse reputation does not make him an easy player to deal despite his contact-heavy lefty bat and defensive versatility.”
McNeil and Lindor’s relationship has reportedly been rocky for a few years now, but given that there are reports about Lindor and Juan Soto not getting along, the Mets may feel a need to right all the issues in their clubhouse. Lindor and Soto are both under contract for multiple years and are the faces of the franchise.
The Mets are not going to trade Soto, and trading Lindor is extremely unlikely. However, dealing McNeil is very possible. He has just one year of club control after next season. He signed a four-year, $50 million deal in 2023.
He has been with the Mets since 2018 and is a two-time All-Star and Silver Slugger. He won the National League batting title in 2022 before signing his extension.
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